De La Soul member Trugoy The Dove (real name David Jolicoeur) died on February 12 at just 54 years old. The week before, De La Soul had been part of the 10-minute performance commemorating the 50th anniversary of hip-hop at the 2023 Grammys. Collective disbelief and grief permeated the internet once the news hit, from his bandmates Maseo and Posdnuos to Common and Nas.
Gorillaz honored Trugoy more formally today, February 27. The famed animated band dropped a deluxe version of their new album, Cracker Island. One of the new tracks is “Crocadillaz” featuring Dawn Penn and De La Soul, and the first voice heard is Trugoy’s.
“Send a sentiment / Taste a destruction,” he raps over an upbeat loop. Elsewhere, Trugoy intricately balances the benefits of his hard-earned position (“Life is intoxicating, I need a beer”) with the potential pitfalls (“Hypnotized by the crocodile smiles / The exchange is brief but watch for the teeth”).
Gorillaz frontman Damon Albarn first acknowledged Trugoy’s passing with an Instagram video on February 13. “A loop for Dave. I love you,” he wrote in the caption.
De La Soul was previously featured on Gorillaz’s Grammy-winning, ubiquitous track “Feel Good Inc.” in 2005.
An official cause of death has not been publicly identified, but as noted in Uproxx’s obituary for Trugoy, he shared he was suffering from congestive heart failure in 2018 and was hospitalized in 2020.
Listen to “Crocadillaz” above.